Turnabout Telephone
by psykit
Summary: A series of telephone calls made during the seven years between the end of Trials and Tribulations and Apollo Justice. Major Fluff in upcoming chapters. Phoenix/Maya
1. Over

_I've had this fic in my head for about two weeks now. There will be more chapters, I just can't guarantee the regularity of them. Hopefully they'll be a bit longer as well. This was initially designed as a bit of a teaser, so enjoy._

_Please review :o)_

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><p><strong>October 9th 2026<br>Over**

The throngs of journalists waiting for the attorneys tied up in that incredible case didn't notice the man in the beanie leaving the courthouse. He vaguely assumed they were waiting for the man in the blue suit with the spiky hair to arrive, but as the appearance of Apollo and Trucy triggered a cacophony of questions and the area around the courthouse steps was illuminated by dozens of flashbulbs, he reminded himself that man didn't exist to them anymore.

There was only one person he needed to speak to anyway.

The journey to People Park was shorter than he remembered however by the time he found a bench that was free he was aware that night was starting to fall. He vaguely wondered if the brother and sister in his care had made to back to the office yet.

He was silent for a good few moments before he realised he was crying. Smiling to no one in particular, he reached into his pocket and took out his phone.

She was the last person he called; she was always the last person he called. And the first.

Pressing the phone to his ear he was relieved to hear the tones that indicated the phone at her end was ringing; it was hard to get signal where she was, but she'd made him promise to call her as soon as the trial had finished with the news.

It only took two rings before she picked up.

"It's me." The man in the hoodie spoke.

"I know it's you." The woman replied. "I do have caller I.D. you know."

The man chuckled softly.

"Well," He said, dragging the conversation out for as long as possible; he knew how much she loved the drama. "It's over."

"And…?" He could see her tapping her foot impatiently at this point. "Don't keep me waiting Phoenix Wright."

He laughed at her almost impeccable impression of Franziska.

"They've arrested Kristoph. I've been cleared of commissioning the forgery."

He heard an excited squeal come from the end of the phone.

"Oh my god, that's brilliant!" The woman said enthusiastically. "I'll be on the next train to congratulate you in person."

He did not miss the sultry undertones in her voice. The love of his life was about as subtle as a brick.

"Maybe give it until tomorrow." He said hastily, "I've not told Truce or Apollo about you yet. It might be worth giving Trucy a good twelve hours to get the crazy out of her system."

She laughed. God he loved that laugh almost as much as he loved the woman it belonged to. It wouldn't be a problem anymore, for either of them.

"I have to go." He said, checking his watch. "I'm meeting Thalassa Gramarye at the office in ten minutes."

"Okay, see you tomorrow!"

"I'll see you tomorrow, and every day for the rest of our lives." The man said comfortably, standing up and stretching his free arm before setting off in the direction of his office. "I love you."

He couldn't hear the woman sniff and wipe away the tear falling down her cheek.

"I love you too, Nick."


	2. Valentine

_A new chapter! This is just pouring out of me! Thanks for the lovely reviews, I really appreciate it :o)_

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><p><strong>February 14th 2019<strong>

**Valentine**

"Hi you've reached Maya Fey. I'm not here right now, so please leave a message and I'll call you back as soon as I can!"

Phoenix sat on the edge of his couch staring at his phone, the unexpected presence of Maya's answer phone temporarily swaying him somewhat. The long walk he had taken after dropping Maya off at the station (Pearl had returned to Kurain a few days earlier, but Maya had stayed to see the outcome of Phoenix's latest case.) He had travelled around the city without straying too far from his office becoming increasingly infuriated each time he saw couples looking doe-eyed at each other. This was exacerbated by his journey through People Park, filled with couples picnicking and sharing romantic moments together. By the time he got back to the office however he was completely ready to declare his infatuation for his assistant.

Careful consideration of every outcome of the conversation he was about to have was fruitless as he had completely overlooked the possibility his call would go straight to her answer phone.

Stupid really, seeing as she was on the train.

The sudden realisation that he was currently recording an empty voicemail sparked Phoenix back to action.

"Maya!" he exclaimed, maybe slightly louder than necessary. "It's me. I've just got back to the office. Could you call me when you get this?"

Phoenix sighed. He stood, walking to the Venetian blind of his window and looking across at the pavement below.

"I mean, I've been thinking, and maybe you don't have to go back to Kurain right now." He absent-mindedly scratched the back of his head. "There's two more weeks before your inauguration as Master and, well, who knows when I'll see you after that."

His eyes flicked to the answering machine on his desk. The LED display was blinking. _A new client, _Phoenix thought. _How am I going to complete a trial without her by my side?_ His attention moved back to the answer phone message he was leaving.

"What I'm trying to tell you is; I can't imagine my life without you." He slumped back down on the couch. "I wish we could have met under better circumstances, but since you've been in my life I've never been happier."

He took a deep breath; it was now or never.

"I love you, Maya Fey. Call me."

He hung up and placed the phone on the arm of the couch, willing it to ring. After five minutes nothing had happened, so dejectedly, he decided to play the messages on his machine.

"You have two new messages." The androgynous voice advised him before beeping in a pitch that wasn't entirely comfortable to Phoenix's ears. The high pitched humming noise only subsided at the sound of Maya's voice.

"Hey Nick, it's me. I'm guessing you're not back at the office yet which makes this a little easier I guess." Phoenix stared transfixed at the little machine that was playing Maya's singsong tones.

"I'm trying to think of the best way to say this without freaking you out." Her voice was a little quieter than usual. "It's just... the times we spend together are the best of my life."

There was a pause and Phoenix heard the unmistakable sound of the train doors closing and the muffled sound of it pulling away from the station.

"What am I doing?" Maya asked herself. "Why would I leave you early?"

Phoenix found his voice.

"I don't know." He uttered softly.

For a brief moment he heard nothing but the chug of the train as it pulled away from the station. Then a sniff and a small sob.

"Nick," Maya cried. "I lo-"

That was it; the end of the first message. Phoenix stared at his machine, incredulous. He used all his energy to stop throwing the machine against the wall and enjoying the gleeful sound as it smashed into a thousand pieces.

He barely noticed the deafening beep signalling the start of the next message.

"Nick, me again." Maya's voice, arguably a little more cheerful this time. She'd evidently taken the time to settle herself before calling again; her voice was considerably less shaky than in her previous message.

"I lost signal for a while there, I suppose that's what you get for trying to make an important phone call on a train." She laughed. "I think we really need to talk, and I really need to see you, so I'm going to get off at the next stop and wait for the next train to take me back to you. Excuse me!"

Phoenix heard a voice respond that he didn't recognise.

"Yes Miss?"

"When's the next stop?"

"Other than this one?"

"Oh sh-"

And that was all of it. Phoenix stood suddenly, jamming the button on his answering machine as hard as he could with his index finger.

"You have no new messages." The voice said.

"No!" He exclaimed, pressing the button again, only to be taunted by an identical message. "I need to know if she got off the train!"

He hadn't even noticed the office door open. Looking back on this moment, he would say that he felt her presence before seeing she was there; smelt the vanilla scented shampoo that she always wore, heard the rustle of the fabric of her dress and the slight rattle of her bracelets as she moved. He would advise with absolute sincerity that the temperature of the room rose by at least two degrees due to the warmth that emanated from the woman who had just entered it.

He turned, meeting her gaze. He noticed that she was holding her phone to her ear with one hand and carrying her travel luggage with the other. She smiled at him and he couldn't help but smile back. She dropped her luggage and closed the distance between them in a heartbeat, still gripping her phone to her ear. He cupped her face in his hand and studied her face intently. He needed to commit how she looked right now to memory; flushed, excited, nervous Maya.

"Nick..." She said softly. He felt her breath on his lips.

Satisfied that this would be a memory that would last forever. Phoenix met her lips with his in what he hoped would be the first kiss of many. She never removed the phone from her ear, and he felt her smile against his lips as he faintly his previously recorded message ended.

"I love you too Nick." She said when they finally parted for air.

The attorney smiled broadly; he was never going to let this girl go again.


End file.
